The present disclosure relates generally to a grit boot mask tool and, more particularly, to a lock assembly for a grit boot mask tool.
Gas turbine engines, such as those that power modern commercial and military aircraft, generally include a compressor section to pressurize an airflow, a combustor section to burn hydrocarbon fuel in the presence of the pressurized air, and a turbine section to extract energy from the resultant combustion gases. The compressor and turbine section include one or more arrays of blades extending radially outwardly from a rotor hub. Each blade has a root that mates with the hub to retain the blade. Each blade also has a platform that partly defines the radially inner boundary of an engine flowpath, and an airfoil that extends radially across the flowpath. During engine operation, a working gas, which flows axially through the flowpath, to receive energy from the compressor blade arrays and provide energy to the turbine blade arrays.
Those portions of the blades in direct contact with the working gas are subjected to a punishing operational environment. This is particularly true of the turbine blades, which are exposed to the elevated temperature and the effects of combustion products discharged from the engine combustion chamber. It is common practice to apply various protective coatings to the flowpath exposed surfaces of the blades to extend their useful life. Application of such coatings may often be proceeded by a grit blasting operation.
Various protective grit boot mask tools have been devised to protect selected portions of the blade during grit blasting. Conventional tools use an enclosure with a door to receive the root of the blade. A wedge piece on the enclosure is friction fit with the door to retain the door during the grit blasting operation. Although effective, the wedge may wear over time which may result in the blade falling out of the boot during the grit blasting operation. This typically requires scrapping the blade.